Join us for an urgent briefing on one of New Zealand's most significant conservation battles: the fight to save the Denniston Plateau.
This iconic 'lost world', a biodiversity hotspot rated by DOC as one of the most ecologically valuable sites on the mainland, is facing an imminent threat. Bathurst Resources is proposing a massive 25-year open-cast coal mine, planning to use the government's controversial Fast-Track legislation to push it through with minimal public oversight. The scale of the proposed destruction is immense, threatening to permanently obliterate unique sandstone ecosystems, ancient dwarf forests, and habitats for rare species like the great spotted kiwi and the endemic Avatar moth.
Scott Burnett, Save Denniston campaign lead for Forest & Bird will explain the full context of the mining proposal and why the plateau is worthy of permanent protection. You will learn about the irreversible damage caused by open-cast mining and acid mine drainage, and why the economic arguments don't stack up against the permanent environmental and climate costs. This is a defining moment for conservation in New Zealand. Come and find out how you can help save this irreplaceable national treasure for future generations.